Eye Contact
by TheTinaSparkles25
Summary: AU: Michonne finds Rick in a compromising position at the Andersons' ritzy party. Now it's time for them to address their heated friendship.
1. Chapter 1

This timing is...odd.

On the other side of Jessie's embrace, in a kitchen with too many "shabby chic" pieces and _god damned _owls, Michonne locks eyes with Rick.

This is a wordless heavy look they've shared on so many occasions, Michonne was actively working up the courage to address it.

Now, she'd just settle for no eye contact at all. Hell, she'd settle for no eyeballs so she couldn't see Rick's large tan hand cup Jessie's lower back. Part of her wonders if she'll ever recover from the shock of seeing Rick tangled up with the very married head of the PTA while her husband is in the next room.

She blinks upwards to four times as she waits for her body to catch up with her brain. Rick's eyes, however, remain unblinking, charged and on her.

Michonne's locs shift from left to right as she shakes her head to break the trance and when she turns to make her exit, her empty wine glass slips from her fingers and meets the tile.

Her wince is perfectly timed with Jessie turning around.

"Fuck."

* * *

All three of their apologies, albeit motivated by entirely different things, collide instantly.

Michonne begins to kneel to collect the large pieces of glass only to be stopped by Rick's hand on her bare arm, "Be careful, you'll cut your hand. I'll get a broom."

His hand is still warm from it's spot on Jessie's waist; Michonne takes a step to her right to avoid it and those blue eyes.

"There's one in the closet," Jessie's voice is more high pitched and breathy than normal.

"I'll grab it," Michonne and Rick say at the same time.

Michonne doesn't look at either of them as she walks over to the large closet, "I got it."

"Are you-" the beginning of Rick's inquiry is immediately cut off.

"I said I got it. You two get back out there," Michonne insist firmly without looking up from her work.

Rick stills for a moment, eyes fixed on Michonne's profile. Jessie peers at Rick, then at Michonne before smoothing her dress down and cheerfully points out the location of more glasses.

She makes her leave. After one un-reciprocated look, Rick does the same.

Michonne waits until she hears their footsteps disappear to cease sweeping. Her fingers reach for her temples.

"Fuck."

* * *

"Fuck."

Rick tightly mutters into a very tall very neat glass of bourbon.

At this point, Abe was having a conversation with himself, because Rick was _not_ listening. He felt like an idiot. No, he felt like a coward. Maybe he should just turn around and head back to the kitchen and explain.

But, explain _what_ exactly?

His brow scrunched as he conjured up what felt like the start to a bullshit excuse.

That same fragment of an excuse died as she sauntered back in the room in that hip hugging dark jumpsuit that all the women in attendance commented on when she arrived.

She walked over to Maggie and sat on a ottomon; crossing her legs gracefully. She didn't spare a glance his way. Which is more than he could say for Jessie, who was looking back and forth at him like she had to cross a busy street.

Michonne brought her wine glass to her berry covered lips and leaned in to hear Maggie over the less than docile string quartet. Her forearm pressed on her cleavage, making them look rounder than ever be-

"If you look at her any harder she might damn well burst into flames," Abe says from Rick's left.

Rick averts his eyes quickly, but he's already caught red handed. He takes another swig of bourbon, "I'm not staring at her."

A clink of a champagne flute is his proverbial saving bell.

* * *

Jessie and Pete Anderson looked like one of those couples you'd see in a elite Country Club advertisement if such a thing existed. Perfectly, perched on the steps of their immaculate foyer, a hundred some odd guests are reminded of that fact.

Jessie smiles brightly as Pete gives a speech that is clearly rehearsed and undoubtedly self-aggrandizing. But when you break ground on a new Culture and Science Building attached to your kids' school, I suppose you're owed a back patting speech.

No one seems to mind. After all, the Anderson's paid for a top shelf open bar in addition to providing party goers with child care for the evening so they could enjoy said top shelf bar.

Michonne is concentrating so hard on not rolling her eyes she's afraid she'll get a migraine. She regrets getting all dressed up for this event. She regrets telling Rick to do the same.

She tunes Pete out to contemplate her exit. She can't use the "Pile of work" excuse again. She used it last time, only to be met with faux-pity from Jessie and the other stay at home moms. Being a working-single mother with this group of women goes over as well as a bull in a glass factory. Rick and his unintentionally hilarious observations would typically help her through events like this. She is cruelly reminded of how close Rick's face was to Jessie's neck and takes what her mama would've called an unladylike-like gulp of wine.

An Irish goodbye is the best she can come up with. And at the rate everyone is drinking she has no doubt that no one will even remember her attendance.

"-And thank you to my beautiful wife Jessie. The constant culture to my science," Pete said starting the round of applause.

Michonne put her glass down to clap before taking long strides towards the door. She quickly opens the door and shuts it behind her quietly.

She takes a deep breath and fumbles around in her gold clutch for her keys when a familiar warm hand wraps around her bicep.

It occurred to Rick that he thought of absolutely fuck all to say to Michonne.

"Are you...headed out?" he cringed at the basic question and it's weak delivery.

Michonne's left eyebrow (her "Oh really now?" brow they jokingly called it) slowly rose. He was close enough to smell her hair - it smelt like it always did, perfect.

"Yes Rick, I'm headed out," Michonne said in a way that implied air quotes.

"Oh," he replied lamely. Michonne looked pointedly at his hand, which was still wrapped around her bicep. He dropped his arm to his side and brushed his curls back like her arm just happened to be a pit stop on his current plans to mess around with his hair. Muted music from the other side of the door was the soundtrack to what would typically be an awkward silence.

"Chonne, I-" and for the second time that evening Michoone cut him off.

"We're all grown Rick. You don't owe me an explanation," Michonne hoped she didn't sound as mad (disappointed? Bitter?) as she felt.

Rick took a determined step closer and tried again, "But I do. I do owe you an explanation".

With heels on, Michonne gained a little ground on Rick's tall frame. However any ground she obtained was lost when she got a whiff of his cologne. Her eyelids fluttered as she took an unconscious step forward.

Still void of a prepared speech, Rick decided now was the time to speak from the heart. He took a deep breath and attempted to take Michonne's hand in his only to be interrupted by the front door swinging open. They both turned to a backlit Jessie.

"Oh Michonne, are you headed out?" Jessie asked almost cheerfully.

Michonne took a giant step back from Rick, "Yes, I have a pile of work to get through."

"That is what I absolutely love about you Michonne," Jessie beamed linking her arm with Rick's, "You're such a strong _independent_ woman."

Both of Michonne's eyebrows shot up at the clear implication of the word independent, "Well Jessie, I guess some women can't have it _all_."

Jessie's hundred watt smile dimmed at the implication of _all_. Michonne spared one more look at Jessie's arm linked around Rick and Rick standing there with the same charged expression she caught him with not so long ago and took her leave.

"Thanks for an unforgettable party. You _two _have a great night."

* * *

I had every intention of making this a one shot but *shrug emoji* still some things I have to introduce and wrap up.


	2. Chapter 2

"Are you sure you're feeling well baby?" Michonne eyes looked at the rearview mirror for the eighth time to ask her son Andre that question for the ninth.

"Mom, I feel fine. I sneezed once. Are _you_ feeling ok? You're acting weird," Andre peered over the latest issue of Captain Marvel.

Michonne fixed her eyes towards the road with a deep sigh. After a long weekend of ignoring Rick's text messages, she was not ready to face him. She felt...well, embarrassed.

As a straight-laced by the book corporate attorney, she wasn't used to being so damn dramatic. She cringed as she replayed her conversation on the porch with Rick for the 38th time. What gave her the right to act like such a jilted lover?

_6 Months Ago _

A comically loud squeak of the door gave Michonne's late arrival to the monthly PTA meeting away. Two dozen perfectly teased and curled heads turned to see what the cause of the interruption was. After all, they were just about to reach a conclusion on which brand of vegan snacks to use for field day.

Michonne was pretty sure she saw a sneer from Sharon, the PTA's secretary, as she took the first available seat.

Jessie, sitting in the middle of the table on the stage cleared her throat to command attention back to the front.

"Don't worry, the only thing you've missed is an extremely detailed breakdown of whatever a chia chip is."

Michonne turned to the deep voice to the left of hers. He was still staring straight ahead. But she could still make a good deal of his looks out - and he looked good. It was rare to see a man at these meetings.

"It's a chip with the ability to make every mother here feel superior to each other," Michonne replied quietly.

He let out a sharp laugh then failed to disguise it as a cough when more heads turned their way. The sneers were visible this time. Michonne hid a chuckle under the curtains of her locs.

Michonne grinned and sneaked another look at the best thing to happen at an Alexandria Prep PTA meeting in two years.

"Have a great day baby," Michonne said turning back to Andre.

Andre finished the last panel of his comic book before unclicking his seatbelt, "Thanks, mom."

He hopped out with his backpack and asked with the patented energy of a 10-year-old boy, "If I finish my homework early can Carl come over to watch Steven Universe?"

Michonne blinked slowly and sighed, "Let me think about it."

"Please, mom? Or maybe I can go over Carl's? I'll double-check my math and everything."

"Andre, I said I'll think about it. Now go on. I'll see you later," Michonne said sternly.

Andre sighed and closed the door taking off in a little run towards the front entrance. Michonne took a deep breath and rested her head on the steering wheel. She knew she couldn't avoid Rick forever - if not for her sake then certainly for Andre's.

Carl and Andre were essentially inseparable and on days where Michonne worked late Rick always picked them up or vice versa.

_Cleansing breaths Michonne, cleansing breaths. _

A small tap on the window interrupted Michonne's train of thought. To the left, on the other side of her window was Jessie, smiling and waving. Michonne flashed a tight grin and, despite her instincts telling her to drive away, drew down the window.

* * *

_3 Months Ago_

"I thought about smuggling in a good old fashioned candy bar," Rick leaned into Michonne to whisper, "Or maybe a real bag of chips. Look at these poor kids, they need it."

Michonne laughed and elbowed him in the side. He feigned a rib injury but laughed along with her, handing her a bottle of sparkling water.

"I've already promised Andre and Carl a trip to Herschel's for Oreo peanut butter sundaes," Michonne said before taking a swig of water.

Rick's eyes quickly scanned her body in the shoulderless sundress dress she was wearing. For the life of him, he didn't understand how she could out eat his 11 year old son and still look like she just left a runway.

Michonne gave him a teasing look - he'd been caught staring _again_. He turned to the field and picked up a few discarded baseball bats with a slight blush to his cheeks.

"Well put me down for two, after a day of setting up tables and tents in the sun, I've earned 'em." Rick said in his now famous drawl.

"A bonafide southern gentleman", is how Rick Grimes was described when he arrived at his first homeroom meeting. Getting up and offering his chair to one of the mothers who was standing, helped cement that argument.

The bow-legged detective who moved to the Atlanta area after the tragic death of his wife was constantly the center of pick-up and drop-off chatter.

As just about the only man who participated in school events, Rick was constantly asked to chaperone, join committees and "Do some heavy lifting".

He did what he could, schedule permitting, but he had a tendency to always do it with Michonne. He was just so happy that Carl was able to find a friend so quickly. Lori's death was unexpected and the move to Atlanta that followed didn't bring comfort to a kid who's whole world just blew up.

But realizing that the woman he cracked jokes with at his first PTA meeting was the mother of Carl's new best friend seemed like fate.

Watching Carl laugh and run around the field with Andre and other friends almost brought tears to his eyes.

"At the rate those two are running, they might tucker themselves out before ice cream," Michonne said with an adoring smile on her face.

"No matter what happens, this day ends in ice cream. In fact, ice cream is on you," Rick teased rolling his sleeves up higher on those forearms.

Michone faked a surprised gasp and slapped his arm, "Richard Grimes, you are not being the bonafide southern gentleman that every housewife knows and loves. Wait until the planning committee hears about this."

Michonne loved teasing Rick about all the female attention he got. She couldn't believe how unphased he was by it. Whenever she brought up a lingering stare from Sharon or an extra flirtatious comment from Jessie he simply shrugged his shoulders. Other than politeness, Rick never showed any interest in even flirting back. Not even to the eager divorced moms.

"Well you'd have to get them to talk to you first 'Chonne," Rick responded cheekly earning him another gasp and slap.

Michonne leaned in and bumped her shoulder with his - laughing, "We'll see how those smart comments hold up when your southern instincts kick in and you swat my hands away from my wallet."

Rick bites his lip to prevent another bark of laughter but doesn't lean away from Michonne's shoulder - in fact he leans in so that they're standing almost hip to hip. He's surrounded by the smell of her soft perfume and basking in the light of her smile.

Behind them, Jessie tilts her head to the right in hopes that it will help her assess the situation better. She just couldn't put a finger on exactly what Michonne and Rick...were.

And that sense of mystery grew more and more each day. That and Rick's inability to talk to her for longer than 5 minutes. It made her _itch - _his polite aloof answers. And the more she tried to engage him the more aloof he became.

Rick let out another bolt of laughter as he hands landed on Michonne's bare shoulder and lingered there.

Michonne is beautiful, many a PTA mom disliked her for that reason alone. Well that and their husbands' wandering eyes constantly landing on the attorney.

Jessie didn't see a reason to feel threatened by her - Michonne was so _urban_. She _knew_ Rick's type and Jessie was certain that she was it. The whole, strong independent black woman bit might do it for some, but a southern, homegrown man like Rick liked his women blonde, docile and at home. She just knew it.

"How you boys doing?" she watched as Rick exchanged high fives with Andre. Carl stood by Michonne and bounced, "Ms. Michonne! Ms. Michonne! Are we still going to Herschel's? I bet Andre I could eat a double fudge all by myself. Can we go now? The food here sucks."

Jessie frowned.

Michonne laughed and put her arm around Carl, "Absolutely. You know, your dad bet me he could eat two."

Carl's eyes went wide and looked between his dad and Michonne, "Did you really Dad?"

Rick exchanged a look with Michonne then turned back to Carl, "I sure did son."

Carl scrunched up his face and said, "My money's on Ms. Michonne."

As Jessie watched them peel into laughter she couldn't deny how nuclear they looked. She could almost imagine a white picket fence and a dog.

She smoothed out her cardigan and step towards the group with a wide smile, "How's everyone doing?

* * *

"Michonne! How are you doing?" Jessie asked with the casualness of bumping into someone at the shops.

"I'm fine Jessie, how are you?" Michonne replied politely but with very little warmth.

"Doing great thank you. I trust that your work didn't take too much of your weekend."

Michonne smiled tightly, "I was able to get a lot done. Is there something I can help you with Jessie? I should be heading out."

Jessie looked to her left and to her right before slightly leaning in to the window and smiling, "Thank you so much for your discretion at the party. I understand why you and Rick are such great friends."

Michonne's eyebrows shot up but Jessie continued, "Pete and I decided to open our marriage up a few months ago so it's all above board but Rick and I want to take things slow, you know for the kid's sake."

Michonne took in Jessie's dazzling white smile and barrel curled blonde hair. This is the woman she was to believe was in an open marriage?

"We got a little carried away on Friday, as you saw," She gave a girlish giggle, "But that's what happens when the chemistry is so darn right."

A pregnant pause followed that admission.

"...Right. Is there anything else?" Michonne asked her temper quietly flaring.

"No, I just wanted to say thank you again. Rick's a really good guy. And if it keeps going the way it's going," Jessie leans in further yet, "Between you and me, I might end up leaving Pete."

A flicker of shock washed over Michonne's face before regaining her poker face, "Well Jessie, thank you for that...update. But I have to get going."

"Oh, of course, you probably have tons of work to get to," Jessie took a step back and smiled and waved.

Michonne peeled out of the parking lot without a goodbye and before seeing a satisfied smirk settle into Jessie's face.

* * *

One more chapter left. The confrontation.


	3. Chapter 3

Rick's knuckles paled from the pressure he applied to his pen.

He felt crazy. He _looked_ crazy. He took several deep breaths but didn't loosen his hold on the pen.

After a weekend of ignored calls and text messages, he was at his wit's end.

He thought about dropping by her house but decided against it. School seemed out of the question; exposing the kids to drama was just about the last thing he wanted to do.

But he _needed_ to see her.

Lost in thought, he didn't hear his plastic pen splinter in his hands, Daryl however, did.

"I was going to ask if you're alright," Daryl said from the desk across from Rick's, "But I guess that just answered my question."

Rick looked up startled, he forgot his partner was even seated there.

"Don't worry about it," Rick muttered, throwing the pen in the garbage and picking up a pile of files only to put them down in another spot without opening them.

Rick's phone buzzed and he frantically went to pick it up. Darryl peered up to watch Rick blink away disappointment.

"Look, man," Darryl said picking up a case file of his own, "I've got this paperwork. Why don't you handle whatever it is you need to handle."

Rick looked up from his phone, albeit a little startled that he was so transparent,

"I-" Rick looked down at his phone and then to Darryl, "Thanks, man."

He grabbed his jacket and rushed out the door.

* * *

Michonne took her hundredth deep breath of the day and rubbed her temples. Her last meeting was tedious and drawn out.

Jessie's words echoed between her temples. She was dreading pick-up in an hour. Facing that woman and Ri-

Michonne's office phone buzzed. She sighed, pressed the button and picked up the phone "Yes, Tara?"

"Hi Ms. Anthony, Detective Rick Grimes is here to see you."

Michone jumped back in her chair. Her heart rate was increasing, "T-Tell him I'm busy."

A minute felt like years.

"He said he'd be happy to wait," Tara replied professionally, "Would you like me to give him a wait time?"

Michonne squared her shoulders - she could handle this, "Fine. Show him in."

Michonne hung up quickly and ran fingers through the pieces her locs and checked her lipstick in the reflection of her desktop. If she was going to tell Rick Grimes off she might as well look good doing it. She took her blazer off and smoothed down her impeccably tailored A-line black dress.

"Right this way Detective Grimes," Tara ushered him in the room.

Michonne stood up behind her desk and crossed her arms. She clenched her jaw, tilted her chin up and looked at Rick, right in the eyes.

After an _extremely_ pregnant pause, Tara looked between the two and made a mousy exit, "Let me know if you need anything."

* * *

Rick took two steps towards the modern glass desk Michonne stood behind, "I've been trying to call you all weekend."

Michonne's scoff accompanied a lengthy eye roll, "What can I help you with Rick?"

"I want to explain-"

Michonne shook her head, "Rick you are a _grown_ man. Who you decide to have long term illicit affairs with is your business."

Rick's brow creased violently, "Illicit? What are you-"

Michonne continued, "Jessie told me everything. I don't need all the dirty details from you."

"Michonne."

"But I'm glad you came to see me, there are somethings we need to discuss. If Andre and Carl are going to continue hanging out, they will have to do so at _my_ home," Michonne continued, walking around to the other side of her desk.

"Michonne," Rick tried again only to be interrupted.

"I will not have Andre surrounded by messy adult drama it's-"

"Michonne!" Rick bellowed taking the final step towards her, "Can you be quiet for a single damn second so I can ask you what the living fuck you're talking about?"

Michonne crossed her arms, agitated by the strong language, "Rick Grimes, who do you-"

He put both hands on her shoulders and firmly said, "No, stop talking. It's my turn."

Michonne looked up at him - _less_ than amused but remained quiet.

Rick sighed and removed his hands from her bare shoulders, "Last Friday, at the party, Jessie cornered me into the kitchen and asked for my professional opinion on a...private matter. She told me that Pete was drinking a lot. That he was angry all the time and that she was afraid he would hurt her and the kids."

Michonne un-clenched her jaw, Rick continued.

"In the middle of giving her some resources she," Rick wrung out his hands, "Well she kissed me. Not a full blown kiss, it was more of a peck than anything, then she hugged me."

Michonne turned away from him and put her forehead in her hand.

"I chalked it up as something friendly at first. I mean we barely even talk to each other. But then she kept I don't know, cuddling me?" She could hear Rick moving his hands through his curls.

Split between absolute relief and sheer embarrassment Michonne shook her head - she hadn't been rendered fully speechless in a while. Of course dad-joke making, workaholic, southern gentleman, Rick wasn't having an affair with a married woman.

"So you're not-you two are not?" Michonne took a deep breath, "You two are not seeing each other?"

"Seeing each other? God no," his shock was palatable, "I've only ever had a handful of conversations with Jessie. Well, mostly it's her trying to set up a playdate between the boys. But let's just say that Carl isn't a big fan."

"Then why were you so weird after I caught you hugging?" Michonne asked almost to herself.

"Everything happened so fast. Jessie went from talking about domestic abuse to kissing me in under a minute," Rick took a step towards her; His chin hovered inches away from the crown of her head he continued quietly but firmly, "Then you walked in. Friday was going to be the night I finally asked you out on a proper date."

Michonne let out a tiny gasp and turned to face him, her eyes searched his, almost as if to confirm that what she heard from him was true. They were a breath apart.

"I had this whole speech prepared and everything," Rick chuckled ironically "I'd been working up the nerve to ask you for months and the night I finally figured my shit out, you catch me hugging the most ridiculous woman this side of the Mason Dixon."

Michonne released a chuckle of her own that blossomed into a full laugh. Rick, surprised by the reaction but happy to see her smiling, laughed along with her.

When their laughter died down Michonne looked down, took Rick's hand and held it between both of hers, "So let's hear it."

"Hear what?" Rick whispered looking down in wonder at their joined hands - his thumbs brushed her knuckles reverently.

"That speech you took months to think of," Michonne answered taking the smallest step even closer.

Rick sheepishly grinned, "Well you're better at words and thangs than me Miss fancy lawyer but it sort of went like this,"

He took a deep breath and looked her in those wide dark brown eyes he'd think about before going to bed, "Michonne Anthony, you are _the_ most beautiful and intelligent woman I've ever met. I lost so much last year and I didn't think I would be able to laugh again before meeting you. Now I laugh all the time. You're incredible mother, Andre is such an amazing kid. I don't know how you do it. And you're a knockout...wait I basically already said that-"

Rick was used to Michonne interrupting him. But he had to admit, when she pressed her lips on his, was his favorite interruption yet.

Rick released her hands to cup her face deepening the kiss.

Before snaking his arms around her waist and using his body weight to push them back towards the desk, Rick released her lips and said, "I'm going to take that as a yes to our date."

Michonne laughed somewhat bashfully into the crook of his neck and sighed happily, "Yeah, yeah, yeah."

Rick flashed a big toothy smile before descending to her lips once more.

"Wait," Michonne put a finger between her lips and his, "Before we get too carried away. Let's agree to keep any and all compromising positions to a minimum. I never want to have a conversation like I had this morning ever again."

"I can promise that," Rick ran his hand up and down the small of her back, "And what conversation?"

"Well, let's just say that the reports of your hug have been _greatly_ exaggerated."

* * *

Jessie added a final dab of powder to her nose. She had missed Rick this morning but was sure she would get him at afternoon pickup.

She thought about her "talk" with Michonne this morning. Nothing Jessie said was necessarily untrue. She _did_ get a little carried away with Rick on Friday and she _was_ hoping for them to become more, it just wasn't happening fast enough. Michonne, however, didn't need to know that. She applied another coat of lip gloss on her pouty lips and looked from left to right. The bell would let the kids out soon.

She searched for Rick's pickup truck. Still nothing. With a shake of her blonde curls, she got out of her car and made her way to the side terrace. She'd be able to catch him there before too much of a crowd built up.

Jessie took her phone out and checked Rick's Facebook profile for the third time within the last two hours. A photo of a grinning Carl and Andre eating sundaes the size of their heads was the latest update. In the corner of the photo was Michonne's smiling, laughing face immortalized forever. Jessie couldn't even get a playdate set up with her kids and Carl. Besides gently moving Michonne to the side, setting up a playdate was her only goal today.

She put her phone down and scanned the parking lot again. In the throes of her social media stalking, she hadn't noticed a car pull up and park.

Without squinting she could identify the car as Michonne's. _With_ squinting, under the shade of a large green tree, through the slightly tinted windshield of Michonne's Audi, she could see Michonne and Rick kissing in her car like a couple of teenagers.

One of Rick's large tan hands cupped Michonne's face as if she was delicate Venetian glass. His other hand - let's just say that Jessie didn't have to use her imagination when she saw Michonne coyly slap his shoulder and mouth "behave."

Jessie blinked a few times - unsure of what to do, unsure of what to say. The bell rang and the sound of children running towards the parking lot drowned out her thoughts.

XXXXX

Michonne and Rick jumped apart when they heard the bell. Rick gave one parting kiss before allowing his hands to caress Michonne's cheek and slide down to her collar bone. Looking at Michonne's slightly plumped lips and dewy smile he was damn certain that he was the luckiest bastard in the world.

As the screams and shouts from the school entrance became louder, Rick grabbed Michonne's hand and gave it a peck, "You stay right there. I'll go grab the boys and handle a few thangs."

Michonne watched Rick grab a few brochures from the inside of his jacket and shove them carelessly in his back pocket, her brow raised in a form of a question.

"Don't you worry bout a thing beautiful. You've had enough chit chat to last you a lifetime. I got this," Rick climbed out of the front seat and threw his jacket on the seat.

Michonne was quite sure that if she hadn't blushed from Rick's subtle pet name, his confident bow-legged stroll away her car would do it.

XXXXX

Rick spotted Jessie by the side terrace - he would have to do this quickly before the kids came out.

Jessie smiled brightly, "Rick, it's great to-"

Rick put his hand up to stop her, he wasn't here for pleasantries. He grabbed the brochures from his back pocket and discreetly put them in her hands, "If you need help, this is who to call and where to go."

Jessie looked down and blinked at a green and white brochure titled '_When it's Time to Leave - Signs of Domestic Abuse and What to Do' _

She quickly shoved them in her pink Kate Spade purse and looked up and Rick shocked, "Rick I-"

Rick put his hand up again and squinted down at Jessie, "This is the _last_ conversation you and I will ever have."

Jessie's mouth opened and closed.

"You see that woman over there?" Rick gestures towards Michonne's car, "This morning's little chat will be the last time you talk to her too."

"Rick let me explain," Jessie crossed her arms nervously, "I was only trying to-"

"There is _nothing_ to explain. This is not a game Jessie. You want to tell a little lie about me, fine, but when you do so at the expense of someone I love, we have a problem."

Jessie's eyes widen at the 'L' word.

"I hope you get the help you need. But stay away from Michonne, stay away from me and stay away from my kid."

Rick didn't spare another look as he walked away from a speechless Jessie to find Carl and Andre.

Michonne watched Jessie's stunned expression turn nasty from the other side of the parking lot. Whatever Rick said to her seemed to be...effective.

Jessie's visible ire turned to face the general direction of Michonne in her car.

Michonne almost laughed out loud - the glare she was on the receiving end of made it seem like _she _was the one who had lied about an entire relationship.

Michonne was tempted to wave but decided that being petty wasn't worth it. She already had her prize and he was walking towards her holding her son's backpack and looking handsome doing so.

Michonne unbuckled her seatbelt, got out of the car and greeted Andre and Carl.

"There are my boys," Michonne said with a smile.

"Hey, mom!" and "Hey, Ms. Michonne!" were yelled at the same time.

"What's going on? Why are you both here?" Carl asked head cocked to the side in happy confusion, "Not that I'm complaining or anything Ms. Michonne."

Michonne laughed, "Well your dad and I were in the mood for pizza and thought you kids might be interested in some before watching Steven Universe."

Carl and Andre jumped up and down nodding their heads yes.

"Homework first though boys," Rick said with an amused smile.

"Sure dad," Carl said before running around the car with Andre. Rick shook his head and looked up at Michonne who was already staring at him.

On opposite sides of a car where Andre and Carl chased each other in a circle, Rick and Michonne maintained eye contact.

Rick's smile matched Michonne - he winked.

The timing was...perfect.

END

* * *

Thanks for reading. Decided to get a mushy and smutty at the end. Thanks to everyone who reviewed. Jessie obviously turned into way more of a villain that even I was expecting but I think her insidiousness lies in her subtly. I'd like to note that the domestic abuse was not a lie (That's not something I'd ever use as a plot point) That's why I made a point of Rick trying to help even though the whole situation with her is messed up.

Anyway, thanks again for reading.

Disclaimer: I do not own the Walking Dead or any of it's characters.


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